Connectors used in the telecommunication field, for instance those used to connect multi-core telephone cables, must be as small as possible. They are normally provided with insulation displacement contact elements which are simultaneously connected to multiple wires in a connector by the operation of a tool. In doing so, the wires in the connector must all be arranged in desired positions and held in these positions until the connection is effected.
Prior wire holding devices in electrical connectors are suitable only for connection to wires within a relatively narrow range of diameters, corresponding to the dimensions of a passageway. In order that with a given design, wires of considerably smaller diameter can also be better held, the connector of U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,055 provides a second, narrower entrance slot which is arranged in the entrance slot and in the passageway is a diaphragm which will be destroyed upon the introduction of a wire of normal diameter. Thus, the introduction of a connection wire of normal thickness is obstructed, and moreover, there is the danger that upon the destroying of the diaphragm, the insulation of the wire will be damaged in an area where it should remain intact.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,214 discloses another electrical connector with a wire holding device wherein the wires are clamped between convolutions of a coil spring, with a plurality of coil springs being provided to be made selectively effective in order that wires of different thicknesses can be held. That solution is structurally very expensive and hardly suitable for practical purposes because of the large space required.